Method for simultaneously detecting an antigen of, and an antibody, against, an infectious microorganism

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting, in vitro, an infection with a microorganism, such as the hepatitis C virus, in a biological sample, by simultaneously detecting an antigen of this microorganism and the antibodies against this same antigen, and also to the reagents and kits implementing this method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A peptide or polypeptide derived from the capsid protein of HCV, bearing at least one intact epitope site and at least one destroyed epitope site, said destroyed epitope site thus being made incapable of being recognized by an anti-capsid antibody, said peptide or polypeptide comprising any one of sequences SEQ ID NO: 4 to SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
       2. A peptide or polypeptide derived from the gag protein of an HIV, bearing at least one intact epitope site and at least one destroyed epitope site, said destroyed epitope site thus being made incapable of being recognized by an anti-gag protein antibody, said peptide or polypeptide comprising the sequence SEQ ID NO: 22. 
     
     
       3. A peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4-18 and 22.